President Obama says we are making considerable progress in our efforts to crush the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan. He also insists there has been no major rift between him and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. But retired U.S. Air Force General Tom McInerney says Obama still won’t explain who the enemy is in this war – which is radical Islam. McInerney also discusses the coming fight over Kandahar and whether the Afghans are capable of holding the military successes the U.S. achieves.
Congressional Incumbents Beware
In Tuesday’s primary, West Virginia Democrats booted 14-term Rep. Alan Mollohan by a wide margin. That follows Utah Republicans denying Sen. Robert Bennett a spot on their primary ballot for a fourth term. How endangered are incumbents in both parties? Are Senators Arlen Specter and Blanche Lincoln in big trouble in next week’s primaries? Could booting the incumbents now actually improve the parties’ chances of holding those seats? We ask Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.
Inside the New UK Coalition
Great Britain has a new prime minister in David Cameron, but only after Cameron’s Conservative Party forged a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. How will this partnership impact the Conservative agenda? What issues could spark major fights within the coalition? What LibDem ideas will get traction in Parliament? And how will this change in government impact Britain’s relationship with the U.S.? We ask former British diplomat Jonathan Clark.
Congressional Battle on the Border
Congressional incumbents are bracing for the wrath of the voters, and Marine Corps combat veteran Jesse Kelly hopes that works to his advantage against Democratic Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. How big of an issue will immigration policy be in this campaign? Why did Kelly enter the race long before the immigration debate erupted again? How does his combat experience impact his approach to national security? And where does he stand on hot-button social issues? We ask the candidate.
The News
The British witness a changing of the guard in the Prime Minister position as Gordon Brown resigns and David Cameron replaces him. More horrific news from mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac demands reforms but Congress does nothing. Prominent evangelicals are propose immigration reform marked by secure borders and a path to citizenship. Oil executives and senators spent the day placing blame for the disaster now responsible for spilling four million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. A stunning development in the fight over the veterans’ cross in the Mojave Desert and Vice President Biden’s son suffers a mild stroke.
Christians and Immigration
While most conservatives are staunch advocates of clamping down on the borders and rejecting any form of amnesty, a group of prominent evangelical leaders say a balanced approach is the way to go. What are the two pillars of their approach to reform? What biblical passages do they cite as the premise for their solutions? And what do they make of the recently approved laws in Arizona? We ask Mathew Staver, chairman and founder of Liberty Counsel and dean of the Liberty University School of Law.
Root of Recession Gets Worse
While Congress works on financial reform legislation, one the leading causes of the ongoing financial crisis remains unaddressed and is getting worse. In recent days, government-subsidized mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac posted massive first quarter losses and are requesting billions more in additional taxpayer bailouts. So why won’t Congress and the president demand changes in Fannie and Freddie? Will this change the current financial reform debate? How slow is President Obama in addressing the mortgage crisis? We ask New Jersey Rep. Scott Garrett, a member of the House Financial Services Committee.
More Warriors in Congress?
Would an influx of battle-tested veterans bring some badly needed sanity to Congress? That’s the view of of the new Warriors for Congress political action committee. Why are veterans the best strategy for reforming Washington, reducing the debt and keeping our nation secure? How many veterans are already running? Who are some of the potential stars in the next freshman class on Capitol Hill? We discuss these questions and more with Melanie Morgan, founder of the Warriors for Congress PAC.
The News
President Obama nominates Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Senate Democrats hail the pick, while Republicans claim she has scant courtroom experience of any kind. Utah Republicans dump Sen. Bennett from the 2010 primary ballot. Singing great Lena Horne dies.
No Experience Is Not A Virtue
On Monday, President Obama nominated Solicitor General Elena Kagan as his nominee to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens. Kagan is the first nominee in 38 years to have no experience as a judge. Democrats say it is good to have different experiences on the bench but is lack of judicial experience a good thing on the Supreme Court? What can we glean about her judicial philosophy from her time as solicitor general or as dean of the Harvard University Law School? Is it true that Obama had much more radical options for the vacancy on the court? And how should the U.S. Senate proceed on this nomination? We ask Ed Whelan, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He also served as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.